Prince Harry has claimed that Elton John refused to sing Candle in the Wind for the anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.
Elton John snubbed Prince Harry’s Candle in the Wind request for Princess Diana. (Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry requested Elton John to perform Candle in the Wind for the anniversary of his mother’s death, but the musician declined. Instead, Sir Elton opted to perform Your Song at the 2007 concert in honour of Princess Diana, stating that Candle in the Wind would be too “macabre”, as revealed in Harry’s explosive memoir, Spare.
The singer, 77, who was a close friend of Diana, played a revised version of Candle in the Wind at her funeral on September 6, 1997.
Originally penned in 1973 by Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years prior, a new version was released as a tribute single to Diana, with all global proceeds donated to the late princess’s charities.
Writing in Spare, Harry, 39, recounted walking behind his mother’s coffin with his brother Prince William.
He wrote: “The funeral began with a series of readings and eulogies, and culminated with Elton John. He rose slowly, stiffly, as if he was one of the great kings buried for centuries beneath the abbey, suddenly roused back to life. He walked to the front, seated himself at a grand piano.
“Is there anyone who doesn’t know that he sang Candle in the Wind, a version he’d reworked for Mummy?
“I can’t be sure the notes in my head are from that moment or from clips I’ve seen since. Possibly they’re vestiges of recurring nightmares. But I do have one pure, indisputable memory of the song climaxing and my eyes starting to sting and tears nearly falling. Nearly.”
Sir Elton has maintained a close relationship with Diana’s sons since her death, even defending Harry and Meghan against “relentless and untrue assassinations on their characters” in 2019.
This defence came after the couple faced criticism for using private jets, including one provided by Sir Elton to his villa in Nice, despite their vocal stance on environmental issues. Sir Elton disclosed that he had covered the cost of a flight for the couple and their son Archie to “maintain a high level of much-needed protection” and offset the carbon emissions.